Key Indication Protocol for Secure In-Vehicle Network Messaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bus-based communication systems in vehicles lack a secure protocol for the control plane, which is crucial for tasks like security key distribution and authentication, leaving them vulnerable to malicious frame injections.
Innovation Solution
A key indication protocol is introduced that includes a control plane message with security key indications and freshness values, enabling cryptographic operations for data plane messages within secure zones, without requiring additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a secure protocol is implemented for control plane communication, then security against malicious frame injections is improved, but device complexity increases due to cryptographic operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cryptographic processing functions into dedicated security modules (HSMs or SEs) that are separate from the main ECU processing units. This allows the control plane ECU to offload cryptographic operations to specialized hardware, reducing the complexity burden on general-purpose processors while maintaining security functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces security modules (HSMs and SEs) as intermediary components between the control plane ECU and data plane ECUs. These intermediaries handle key management and cryptographic operations, acting as mediators that simplify the security implementation for ECUs while providing robust cryptographic protection for control plane communications.
2Reliability
If cryptographic operations are performed for data plane messages, then security is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by performing cryptographic key establishment and message authentication code (MAC) generation in advance. Control plane messages include pre-computed security parameters and keys that enable data plane ECUs to perform rapid verification without extensive real-time cryptographic processing, thus reducing processing time while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex real-time cryptographic verification with simpler validation mechanisms. By using pre-computed security parameters and lightweight authentication methods in the data plane, the system substitutes heavy cryptographic operations with faster verification processes, reducing processing time while preserving security guarantees.
3Reliability
If security key distribution is implemented, then authentication capability is improved, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments security key distribution into two distinct planes: control plane for secure key exchange and data plane for authenticated communication. This segmentation allows security parameters to be distributed efficiently in the control plane using robust cryptographic protocols, while the data plane uses these pre-distributed keys for lightweight authentication, minimizing communication overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using different security mechanisms appropriate to each communication plane. The control plane uses comprehensive cryptographic authentication with full key management, while the data plane uses streamlined verification based on pre-distributed security parameters. This localized approach optimizes authentication strength where needed while reducing overhead in data-critical paths.
Data Source
AI summary
A network node may receive a control plane message. The control plane message may include an indication that the control plane message is a control plane message, an indication that the control plane message is associated with security, an indication of a security key to be associated with a secure zone (SZ) of an in-vehicle communication network, and an indication of a freshness value. The network node may perform a cryptographic operation for a data plane message associated with the SZ using the security key.